<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Little Tin Soldier by Purpledragon6</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483545">Little Tin Soldier</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purpledragon6/pseuds/Purpledragon6'>Purpledragon6</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sym-Bionic Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:21:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purpledragon6/pseuds/Purpledragon6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles based on Lance's life with his parents before and after the war.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Manus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <strong>A/N: </strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Takes place in the past. Lance is 4 and about to see the first prototype of the Manus armor. </em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Lance's POV.</em> </b>
</p><hr/><p>He didn't remember going to sleep the night before. He had been too excited, and stayed awake long after 2AM. Still, he remembered his mother nuzzling him awake, so he must have fallen asleep at some point. Lance certainly felt rested, as he and his father poured over shared notes at the breakfast table that morning. Calculations for the day's event that Lance had been eagerly awaiting all week. </p><p>Surely he must have rested some to feel that lively- </p><p>Or perhaps not. Because as he stood so paitently outside his father's lab, he felt a sting in the corners of his eyes. The sort of sting that one experiences with exhaustion. A dreary sort of heaviness had also started to weigh on his slumped shoulders- but he couldn't sleep. Not yet anyhow. </p><p>"This is why I told you to go to bed early." His mother whispered, nudging his shoulder. </p><p>Lance looked up at the woman. His mother, Lea, gave his face a quick once over. Her kind face masked both concern and disdain for her child's sleeping habits. It always had and the boy felt that it always would. As further evident by the way she made it a point to mention such things at least once a day. </p><p>"I did sleep, mother." Little Lance said, stiffling a yawn behind his hand. "I just think its worn off is all..."</p><p>"You haven't slept all week in your excitement, my darling boy." She laughed, giving his hair a little ruffle. "So forgive me for being skeptical of your claim."</p><p>"Its the first test of the Manus armor!" The boy exclaimed, eyes so full of stars that they rivaled the nighttime sky. "I slept as best I could!"</p><p>"Not quite the first test, Lance... Its only the first test of the prototype..." Lea clicked her tongue softly. "Your father doesn't have much faith in it being successful-" </p><p>Despite having been raised to be polite and respectful toward his elders, Lance found himself waving his mother off as quick as she spoke. For succeed or fail, a first test of anything was a first test and he was present to see it- </p><p>If only he could stay awake long enough... </p><p>He felt another yawn coming on, but hid it in his sleeve before his mother could catch it. By then, the edges of his brain were beginning to feel fuzzy. His vision focused and unfocused rapidly. He was falling asleep while standing up!</p><p>The boy quickly shook away the blurriness and returned his gaze to his mother.</p><p>"Mom- Do you think I could try coffee?" He heard himself asking. "I really want to stay awake."</p><p>"I thought you said you slept already." She mused. </p><p>"I don't remember if I did- but it could help!" He explained, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes. "I just really want to see-"</p><p>"You won't have to wait much longer, dear. It looks like they're ready for us." </p><p>At that moment, a colleague of his father opened the door to the lab. "Ah! Ms. Lea and little Lance. Right on time."</p><p>"Early." Lea hummed, taking her child's hand in her own. "Lance had been very excited to see the testing. He practically raced over here himself."</p><p>"I'm sure he did. He's every bit his father's child. Never waiting for anything." The colleague replied kindly, sending a kind smile Lance's way. "Isn't that right, lad?"</p><p>"I suppose so." Lance replied, shaking his head quickly. "Are they still setting up?"</p><p>"No. We were just waiting for you two." The man said, "Though now it seems you two were waiting for us."</p><p>"Only for a minute, but I'm sure it felt like forever to my son." Lea hummed.</p><p>The adults shared a laugh, and Lance began to grow impatient. He tugged gently on his mother's hand to remind her of why they were here in the first place. She responded by gently tugging his back.</p><p>The boy didn't remember being ushered anywhere after that. But he soon found himself and his mother behind the shatter proof glass he had grown up behind. The testing area beyond it was massive, but he could still see the mech at the center of it as clear as day. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he felt more awake than ever. </p><p>"There it isn't, mother!" He giggled, bouncing on the tips of his toes and pressing his face to the glass. </p><p>"I see it, Lance." His mother whispered proudly, carding a gentle hand through his hair. "But you need to settle yourself. Try to see if you can't find your father anywhere."</p><p>The boy nodded and began to search the testing center.</p><p>From across the way, on the opposite end of the area, he saw a team of scientists huddled over clipboards, double checking their work. Among them was his father. Even from this distance, Lance could see his troubled expression. But despite those troubles, his father still took a moment to look up and wave in the direction of his only child. </p><p>The child's heart lept into his throat and his excitement grew and the feeling of being seen and acknowledged.</p><p>"I see dad!" Lance whispered, sending a short wave back. "He looks worried..." </p><p>"I bet... What were the chances of this one imploding on itself again?" His mother whispered back. </p><p>"Dad and I calculated it. He predicts a 75% chance, but that was this morning." Lance replied, pressing his face to the window. </p><p>"Well, my money is still on 98%. But then again, my boys are never wrong." </p><p>Lance felt his mother's presence as she too moved closer. They watched the group of men disperse, each going to their own station, safely tucked behind glass. It was time finally, and Lance could barely contain his excitement when-</p><p>BAM! </p><p>A shower of sparks rained down acround the joints of the armor like golden snow. This was followed by a loud grinding sort of noise that sounded anything but good. There was inaudible shouts from the men, and Lance barely missed the amused smirk his father had let flash for just a moment. </p><p>A total failure, it seemed. But that did not dampen Lance's spirits in the slightest. </p><p>"It was 98% just like you said, mom." He giggled, "And we got to see it!"</p><p>"We certainly did, my child." She hummed, lifting her excited child into her arms and kissing his nose. </p><p>"No other outsider would have seen it. Not even the King!" Lance went on, his arms waving about his head wildly.</p><p>He felt like a ball of energy. He wanted to run out into the testing center and join the others in watching months of hard work go to waste. He wanted to look back over the numbers with everyone to see where things had gone wrong. Most of all, he wanted to congratulate his father on being right once again. Wanted to- but his mother held him tight.</p><p>"Thats right. No one else." She smiled, "Now, lets leave your father and his team to their clean up. You and I have to return home." </p><p>"What for, mother?" Lance frowned. He couldn't think of any reason why they should go home now.</p><p>"Because, my sweet boy needs a nap." She laughed, tucking the boy safely in her arms and starting for the exit. </p><p>"But I feel perfectly awake now!" He assured her.</p><p>"For now. But wait until the adrenaline wears off." His mother said, "You can talk to your father when he gets home, but for now you need a nap."</p><p>Lance frowned. He wanted to argue. Had wanted to prove that he was wide awake and could stay and talk to his father for a little bit longer. Had wanted to wait and see if they would do a second test today-</p><p>He hadn't remembered falling asleep directly after that. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Mother Mother</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What must it be like to be important?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <strong>A/N: Lance is about 4 1/2 during this chapter.</strong> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Lance knew his parents were both important in their own ways.</p><p>His father was, in the words of the people, one of the finest minds on Galaluna. Lance could attest to that. All his life he had seen his father work and knew by now that anything the man set his hands on was bound to be successful. Perhaps that was why so many of his colleagues would come and gather in the family's living room as often as they did. Almost every evening, in fact. Just before they would all head to the lab for work.</p><p>They always discussed things in depth during these visits. Things that Lance could only pick up snippets of when the door was left cracked open. And it always was. Usually by his father for that very reason. </p><p>"You would hear better if you went inside." His mother whispered to him, causing the poor boy to jump. "Go on in. I'm sure your father would be happy to see you."</p><p>"I wouldn't want to interrupt, mother." Lance half-lied, leaning against the wall to further hide himself. "I'm sure what they're talking about is very important."</p><p>"Well, I would." She replied.</p><p>His mother was important too. </p><p>Not by anyone's words, but in her actions. She liked to remind others that she was the lady of the house. That she belonged in her own living room no matter who else was in it. Whereas Lance would hide behind the cracked door, his mother would walk into the room without so much as a knock. She would walk right in and not bother to close the door. And she never seemed to mind the quiet chatter among the men when she'd interrupt.</p><p>All the talk ceased in an instance as they turned to her.</p><p>"Good evening, all." She announced, taking a spot on the sofa next to her husband and folding her hands on her lap. "I take it all is well?" </p><p>A chorus of "Good evening, Lea!"s answered her, but the men never bothered to answer her question. In fact, they always seemed somewhat troubled or amused by her appearance. Like they expected her to leave just as soon as she had settled in. But like every visit- she never did.</p><p>"Don't mind me. I wouldn't want to interrupt your discussion." She didn't care.</p><p>And clearly, neither did his father, who as always, passed her his pipe and continued on in the conversation as if she had been there the whole time. As if for emphasis, he'd take one of his wife's hands in his own and ask for her input. Which she gave readily. It was their own, silent way of communicating with one another. What they'd say, Lance could never figure out. </p><p>All he knew is it was important to them. </p><p>And so was he. </p><p>For during most meetings, after his mother would toss open the door did Lance find his hiding spot exposed. Several eyes were turned on him in an instance. And almost always, shortly there after, he found himself being summoned. Not out loud, but in his own silent conversation with his father. These talks generally consisted of just one kind glance and a short nod from them both. </p><p>"Evening, all!" The boy mimicked his mother as he hurried in. </p><p>A series of "good evening, my boy!" Would answer him. The men always seemed very pleased to see him for some reason or another. He often wondered for a few moments why. Then he would smile and nod his head as he ventured over to his parents.</p><p>Like his mother, Lance liked whenever he was allowed to interrupt. He liked to waltz into the room like he belonged and crawl into his father's lap. He would pretend like he had always been there, just like his mother.</p><p>The child liked to nod his head as if he understood it all, but most of all, he liked to feel important. </p><p>And perhaps someday, he would be.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>